Hot and Sour Tofu

Step 1

Start by making the sauce, which is incredibly easy, Simply whisk together all the sauce ingredients in a bowl or jug and then set aside. The sauce can also be prepared in advance and refrigerated until required

Step 2

Next, lightly pat the tofu with a paper towel and chop into bite sized pieces. I don't normally press out the water from the tofu as I find the moisture helps the starch to stick better. I also find that tofu dries out quite easily once pressed, we want to keep it soft inside

Step 3

Toss the tofu pieces in the rice flour or cornflour/corn starch until they're all covered with a light coating. This will help to get the tofu extra crispy and golden

Step 4

Heat a wide frying pan over a medium heat with around 2-3tbsp of oil and pan fry the tofu until golden and crispy on all sides. Then set the tofu aside on a plate lined with a paper towel

Step 5

Heat up a wok or a frying pan over a high heat and add in 2tbsp of oil followed by the onions and garlic. Sauté for around a minute before adding in the red pepper, baby corn, and mangetout (or any vegetables you like). As this is a very quick cooking process, it's worth having everything chopped and ready next to you (mise en place)

Step 6

Cook the vegetables for around another minute, then add in all of the sauce and mix continuously. The sauce will begin to thicken within 20-30 seconds

Step 7

Next add in the tofu and toss once more to ensure everything is coated evenly in the hot and sour sauce. Everything should be coated with the thick sauce which will also have a lovely glaze to it

Step 8

Finally turn the heat off and add in the final tbsp of rice vinegar as well as the sesame oil. Optionally garnish with sesame seeds too if you wish

Step 9

Best served with steamed jasmine rice or any noodles of choice. I also like to pair it with a side of kimchi